Gov. Baker Releases Plan To Combat Massachusetts' Opiate Problem

By SUSAN PETRONI (Patch Staff)

Vowing to change the way the Commonwealth treats and even thinks about substance addiction, Governor Charlie Baker on Monday, June 22, released the findings of his Opioid Working Group, a comprehensive report detailing 65 actionable steps to curb the deadly opioid epidemic.

The findings by the 18-member Working Group include short and long term action items to be implemented between now and the next three years, some requiring legislative action and funding and some will be achieved through partnerships with private industry and federal leaders.

“Opioid abuse is a public health epidemic and I applaud our working group for producing these recommendations based on a comprehensive analysis,” said Gov. Baker in a press statement. “The solution to eradicating opioids is not a one-size-fits-all approach, and will require all of us to rethink the way we treat addiction. Today’s announcements are a first step and we will aggressively pursue reforms to save lives.”

“This epidemic has already torn apart too many families and communities in the Commonwealth,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “This report contains recommendations that were carefully and thoroughly collected from every corner of our state and we look forward to taking swift actions to combat the opioid epidemic.”

“While opioid addiction is an urgent problem, it is also a chronic medical disease, not unlike diabetes or heart disease,” said Marylou Sudders, Secretary of the Executive Office of Health and Human Services and Chair of the Working Group. “The solution requires a strong public health approach focusing on prevention, intervention, treatment and recovery. We must also target education and awareness about the potential misuse of opioids to students and their families.”

“The opiate crisis is impacting families from every community across the Commonwealth,” Attorney General Maura Healey said, in a statement.“Today’s report is a roadmap to comprehensively addressing this public health crisis and offering help to families who truly need it. I want to thank Governor Baker, Secretary Sudders, and every member of this commission for their collaboration, dedication and leadership on this issue. Now the real work begins to implement these recommendations.”

The announcement comes just days after the launch of a statewide public service campaign to alert parents about the dangers of prescription opioid misuse by their kids. The report calls for additional public awareness initiatives to decrease stigma of the disease.

The cost of implementing the initiatives will currently be $27 million in Fiscal Year ‘16, which will be paid for through a combination of new state funds, MassHealth, and reprioritization of existing state and federal grant funds.

The Commonwealth started addressing the opioid epidemic in 2004, when 456 individuals died of opioid overdoses. Since then, more than 6,600 members of our communities have died, in addition to an overwhelming amount of hospital stays, emergency department visits and human suffering. According to the Department of Public Health, there were over 1,000 estimated unintentional opioid related deaths in 2015, representing a significant increase from the estimated 967 deaths in 2014. The number of opioid-related overdose deaths was nearly triple the amount of motor vehicle-related injuries recorded in 2013.

“I want to thank Governor Baker, Attorney General Healey and all the members of the Opioid Working Group for their thorough report unveiled today,” said Middlesex Sheriff Peter J. Koutoujian. “At a time when 80 percent of those in the custody of the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office self-identify with an addiction issue, continuity of health care is a critical link to recovery and reducing crime.”

“ One priority included in the Governor’s Action Plan is the suspension – rather than termination – of MassHealth benefits when someone is incarcerated. This technical change will eliminate red tape while closing gaps in coverage for individuals after their release from prison,” said the Sheriff. “Also included in the recommendations is partnerships between correctional institutions and community health centers, something happening now at the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office, which establishes relationships between inmates and the medical team who will help to continue with their recovery.”

“At the Middlesex House of Correction and Jail, our medical unit will perform a projected 2,300 medical detoxes this year. Continuity of health care isn’t just a public health issue – it’s a matter of public safety,” said Sheriff Koutoujian.